Exodus 21:20

Anyone who hits their male or female slave with a rod, and the slave dies as a result, must be punished.

Free Bible Version

In The King James Version

And if a man smite his servant, or his maid, with a rod, and he die under his hand; he shall be surely punished.

In Context

19and then gets up and walks around outside with his walking stick, then the one who hit him won't be punished. Even so, he must still compensate the man for the time lost from his work and make sure that he's completely healed.

21However, if after a day or two the slave gets better, the owner won't be punished because the slave is their property.

Read all of Exodus 21

Cross References

Genesis 4:24If the sentence for killing Cain was to be punished seven times over, then if someone kills me, Lamech, the punishment should be seventy-seven times.”

Exodus 21:26Anyone who hits their male or female slave in the eye and blinds them must free the slave as compensation for the eye.

Numbers 35:30If anyone kills a person, the murderer is to be executed based on the evidence given by witnesses, plural. No one is to be executed based on the evidence given by a single witness.

Proverbs 29:19A servant can't be disciplined by words alone; though they understand, they don't follow what they're told.

Romans 13:4Those in power are God's servants, put there for your own good. If you do wrong, you should be frightened—it's not without reason that authorities have the power to punish! They are God's servants, punishing offenders.

Matthew Henry on Exodus 21:13-22

12 He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be surely put to death. 13 And if a man lie not in wait, but God deliver him into his hand; then I will appoint thee a place whither he shall flee. 14 But if a man come presumptuously upon his neighbour, to slay him with guile; thou shalt take him from mine altar, that he may die. 15 And he that smiteth his father, or his mother, shall be surely put to death. 16 And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to… Read the whole commentary →

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Study Exodus 21:20